Top Ten Tips to a Successful Marriage

So much talk about weddings, how to plan the perfect day, how to enjoy it and capture it but have you gone to the same effort to ensure your marriage will live up to the same ideals as your wedding day? Time to get real! These days many couples think life will be no different with the addition of a marriage certificate for they have been living together for some time but marriage changes people so we have a few tips here from those who have been there, done that and survived to tell the tale. These are not in any particular order as one is as important as the rest.Top 10 Tips to a Successful Marriage from real couples…

1. Try not to go to bed angry but even if you do go to bed together, that means no couches or spare rooms. Most of the time you will wake up forgetting your anger anyway.

2. Find your own thing. Whether it’s a hobby or a ‘man cave,’ each have something that excites you, relaxes you, always make time to do it and understand your partners need to have theirs too.

3. Pick your battles. As you go through life you will run into conflict and you will not always agree, pick your battles because even if you win, you lose. Learn to compromise.

4. Be a team. Always back your partner, let them know you are on their side, that they can trust and count on you to stand up for them and root for them.

5. Be yourself. Don’t lose yourself and don’t try to change your partner but expect that they will change. Sometimes you will need to remind yourself of the reasons you fell in love and find new ones.

6. Learn each other’s language. Men and women are so different and each person is in themselves unique so learn your partner’s language so you can communicate with them effectively. Listen.

7. Keep the flame going. Don’t get so caught up in the life of work and family that you forget to be a couple, keep the flame alive in your marriage.

8. The little things are big things. Tell your partner every day that you love them, always ask them how their day was, make them a cuppa, hold their hand, it will make a big impact.

9. Share responsibilities. These days the man and the women are considered equals in the home, even if she is at home with the kids and he is working full time, help each other out with the mundane chores, do it together if possible.

10. Make a plan. So many couples drift through marriage and make it up as they go along and that’s fine, if you agree. Discuss with your partner your expectations on career, children, and your future. Sort out how you can both agree to budget your finances. You want to be on the same page going forward.